the left claw is the crush ##er , and the right is the cutter . the ex ##os ##kel ##eto ##n is generally blue above , with spots that coal ##es ##ce , and yellow below . the red colour associated with lobster ##s only appears after cooking . this occurs because , in life , the red pigment as ##ta ##xa ##nt ##hin is bound to a protein complex , but the complex is broken up by the heat of cooking , releasing the red pigment . the closest relative of h . gamma ##rus is the american lobster , ho ##mar ##us american ##us . the two species are very similar , and can be crossed artificial ##ly , although hybrids are unlikely to occur in
the left claw is the crusher, and the right is the cutter. the exoskeleton is generally blue above, with spots that coalesce, and yellow below. the red colour associated with lobsters only appears after cooking. this occurs because, in life, the red pigment astaxanthin is bound to a protein complex, but the complex is broken up by the heat of cooking, releasing the red pigment. the closest relative of h. gammarus is the american lobster, homarus americanus. the two species are very similar, and can be crossed artificially, although hybrids are unlikely to occur in